by Max Mercy

Esko defeated Proctor, 7-1, in a non-conference baseball game on Friday, April 29, at Esko. The Eskomos snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Rails; the last time Proctor lost to Esko was on May 12, 2008.

Winning pitcher Cole Litsey allowed one run on five hits, two walks, and one hit batsman. He had six strikeouts. Derek Peterson pitched a three-up-and-three-down seventh inning with two strikeouts.

Esko struck first, with a five-run third inning. Quinn Fisher opened the inning with a ground-rule double that went under the fence in the left-field corner. Litsey walked and Reid Davidson singled to load the bases with no outs. Fisher scored the first run of the game on a passed ball. Nick Emanuel walked, loading the bases again. Ryan Bourgeault bounced into a fielder's choice, forcing Litsey out at the plate for the first out. Tyler Peterson then reached on an error, scoring Davidson. Brody Kahldahl, whose plate appearance survived an errant catch on a foul pop fly, knocked the big hit for the Eskomos, a two-run double scoring Emanuel and Bourgeault. Derek Peterson then hit a sacrifice fly, sending home Tyler Peterson, for Esko's fifth run of the inning.

Proctor remained hitless until the fourth inning, until Matt Morris and John Aase hit back-to-back singles with one out. But Litsey snuffed out the potential rally by retiring the next two batters.

Aase relieved starter Morris in the fourth. Morris (2-1 W-L, 1.00 ERA) allowed five runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in three innings.

Proctor scratched across a run in the fifth. Matt Tracey led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball before Nathan Carlson drew a walk. Then, after two outs, Jake Malec smacked an RBI single that plated Tracey.

Esko tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Fisher led off with a single, Litsey reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt, and Davidson singled to load the bases with no outs. Emanuel hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Fisher, and after a walk to Bourgeault loaded the bases once again, Litsey scored the final run on Tyler Peterson's sacrifice fly.

Aase allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in his first relief appearance of the season.

Rails Notes

Jake Malec moved into sole possession of sixth place on Proctor's all-time hits list. He now has 67 career hits and moved ahead of Charlie Habermann (Class of 2009), who had 66.